Re: Hitler Youth
Melinda Whitton (msw6294@GRIFFON.MWSC.EDU)
Mon, 17 Nov 1997 12:21:57 -0600
Thank you so much for your help! It makes things a lot more clear.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mindy Whitton Missouri Western State College
St. Joseph, Missouri
http://www.mwsc.edu/~msw6294
______________________________________________________________________________
On Thu, 13 Nov 1997, Edward Behrendt wrote:
> Let me respond, at least briefly, to Melinda's question for some details
> about the
> Hitler Youth. Incidentally, my information does not come from the movies
> or books or just
> talking to a couple of people about it. It comes from actually being there
> at the time
> and physically being involved and seeing what went on.
>
> The severity and dedication of members or groups of Hitler Youth varied
> somewhat,
> depending upon the area or part of Germany involved. This was because of
> the different
> feelings and ideas of the adult leadership. The stricter or meaner the
> leaders were,
> the worse the Hitler Youth group thought and behaved. It was very much a
> "follow the leader"
> type organization, which was typical, at that time, of German behavior. In
> general, the very
> name of the organization will tell you that they existed in order to follow
> Hitler, and to carry out
> his ideas and commands. It was a very structured organization, with orders
> originating at the top
> in Berlin. Local youth groups carried out those commands and, in many
> cases, behaved even
> more drastically in order to show how good and dedicated to Hitler's cause
> they were.
>
> Like many dictators, Hitler and his immediate cohorts believed that it was
> vital to convert
> young children to their cause and believes. Basically that theory still
> holds true today. If you
> can capture the minds of young children and persuade them to become
> dedicated to
> your cause, your theory of the truth and your theory of what is right and
> wrong, then you can
> hold the whole country captive and you have complete control. That is what
> the Nazis were
> after in establishing the Hitler Youth.
>
> In trying to capture the minds, hearts and souls of young children, the
> Nazis at first
> offered many incentives. Things that would fascinate and attract children,
> such as uniforms,
> knives, drums and bugles and much more. The next step was peer pressure.
> Telling them
> "your friends are members, why aren't you?", " You can't belong to our
> social group and have
> fun like we do, if you are not a member", "You have to sit at the back of
> the class or isolated
> in school somewhere if you are not a member". etc. etc.
> Later, far different motivations and persuasions were used, and the Hitler
> Youth soon were no
> longer real children, but more or less belonged to the State. It was not
> that unusual for kids to
> turn their own parents in to authorities if they caught them doing
> something not approved by
> the State. Many parents were severely punished and some sent to
> concentration camps and
> then death because their own children had turned them in to authorities.
>
> Toward the end of the war, shortly before Germany lost, they had
> practically run out of adult fighting
> men, and so Hitler and his immediate group started using Hitler Youth
> members as soldiers, and
> these kids then found themselves on the front line. Not only far too
> young, but little training,
> no experience, few weapons left, and facing an allied army that was
> determined to win regardless
> of the lives it might cost. It was suddenly tough on the kids, the glamour
> of being a member
> was gone, and many perished on the front lines.
>
> Hope the above explanation helps a little, but if there are more questions,
> just ask.
>
> Eddy Behrendt
>